Impacts of boat paint chips on the distribution and availability of copper in an English ria.

摘要: Discarded paint chips collected from a leisure boat maintenance facility on the Kingsbridge estuary, SW England, have been fractionated to <63 μm and chemically characterised. At about 16% by weight, Cu was most abundant metallic component, reflecting its biocidal application in antifouling paint. Bioavailability of chips, determined protein digestion, 4%, sea water leachability 8%. Copper concentrations intertidal sediment estuary were highly variable (<10–460 μg g−1). Specifically, greatest variability among replicates found samples near facilities. averaged 7% but also variable. We attribute “hot spots” heterogeneous contamination local small quantities chips. Contamination may arise directly, relatively inert particulates, or indirectly, via release interstitial waters subsequent adsorption sediment.